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a client out of spite. And I’m curious to see the work this other tiler did. I bet it’s not as good as Xav’s. “Yeah, fine,” I agree with a grumble.
She gives a nod and heads back to her office, while I get back to work.
Xavier and I aren’t actually business partners; we each have our own companies, but there’s a lot of overlap when it comes to bathroom renos, so we have a lot of the same clients. We also share factory space, which cuts down on overheads for both our businesses, and Renee handles all the admin stuff for each of us.
Renee’s interruption has at least distracted me from my endless thoughts about Jack, but as soon as I get back to work, I’m hit with another onslaught. Guilt and shame aren’t emotions I’m all that familiar with, because I usually don’t care all that much what other people think. But I’m feeling them now, and I need to do something about it as soon as possible.
I knowJackasked for a few days, but I can’t wait any longer, so that evening I head back over to his place knowing full well he’s not going to be happy to see me.
“What do you want?” Jack grumbles upon answering the door to find me standing there. I was once again able to sneak in when someone was leaving; for a supposedly ‘secure’ building they’re pretty lax about who they let in. “I said I needed a few days.”
I just smile, ignoring the scowl he’s directing at me. “I came to apologise.”
He rolls his eyes. “There’s a long list, you’ll have to be specific.”
Feeling like a bit of an idiot standing out here in the hallway, I push past him into the apartment.
“Sure, come in,” he mutters sarcastically.
“I’m sorry I outed you,” I tell him. “It was a genuine mistake, but even so, I’m sorry. And I’m also sorry it’s taken me two decades to apologise for it.”
He folds his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Are you just saying all this because you want to have sex again?”
Okay, I’m not going to lie, itmayhave entered my mind that if I didn’t get Jack to forgive me, a repeat of the most epic sex I’ve ever had would be off the table forever. But mostly it’s because I’ve been feeling really bad and knew apologising was the right thing to do.
I shrug. “Look, you already know where I stand on the sex thing. It’d be ridiculous for us to waste that kind of chemistry. But that’ not why I’m apologising. Like I said, I should have done it years ago.”
He stares me down for a long moment, then finally nods. “Okay.”
I’m not naive enough to think he’s just going to let go of twenty years of resentment in one fell swoop, but it’s a start.
“Good. So do you want to do more of your stupid list?” I offer, figuring it’s the best peace offering I have.
“My list isn’t stupid. You’re the one with the ridiculous list.”
I offer a smirk and step closer to him, crowding him against the closed apartment door. “I think after the other night you can stop pretending you don’t love my list.”
The corner of Jack’s mouth twitches upward and I’m surprised at the amount of relief I feel at seeing it. I didn’t even realise until this moment how worried I was that I wouldn’t ever see him smile at me again. Which is ridicu-lous because I don’t even like his smile. At all.
“I can choose anything from my list?” he asks, and I can see a hint of calculation in his dark eyes.
I nod. “Anything.”
The subtle smile turns into a full-on grin, and suddenly my insides are full of dread. “I want to drive the Falcon.”
Fuck.I stare at him for a long moment, my jaw tight with frustration. Any other day I’d be calling on the safe word and reneging on the deal, but I can’t do that now. I owe him this. “I let you drive my car, and you forgive me?” I ask. “That’s what’s happening here?”
Jack considers my words for a moment and then nods. “I’ll let it go. I’m still not sure if we should be having sex, though...”
I smirk at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll win you over on that one. I’m irresistible.”
Jack just rolls his eyes. “You’re egotistical. Not the same thing.”
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” I mutter with all the enthusiasm of a man headed for the gallows.
Jack’s eyes light with excitement. “We’re going now?”
I quirk a brow at him. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?”
